Server to Desktop: Graphics Card?

[cortlillard]

Hey all,

I just picked up a Sun Fire x2200 m2 server in an awesome sale for $50. Exactly like this:

I have been wanting to build myself a decent desktop (not necessarily a gaming machine) for quite a while, and thought this would be a cool opportunity to do that. The thing is, all I think I can use out of it is the motherboard, processors, memory and HDD.

The specs are pretty good:

• 
  ■ TWO AMD Opteron quad core 2.3 ghz processors
  ■ 8 gigs of memory (4gb per processor) (expandable to 16 memory slots)
  ■ 750GB 7200rpm seagate HDD

My questions are about the graphics card and case.

The mobo (I am relatively confident) has a single pci-express x16 slot, but I don't know if its 1.0, 2.0 ,2.1, 3.0 etc, so I don't know what graphics card to get? Also the slot is pretty set back on the board, so I think I am going to need to use a extender cable.

The mobo, I believe, is not a full ATX, but a EATX. Do you think I could get away with a larger atx case as opposed to a specialized EATX case?

Also, it sounds like the fans are part tornado, so i would like to buy some quieter fans. The heat sinks are designed to work with the tornado fans which blow air horizontally through them. Do you think I could get quieter fans to work the same way, or should I get a different heatsink/fan assembly to work with those?

Thanks guys!

Edit: Actual Image

 

[i7Baby]

1. DFetyermine the make and model of motherboard and google for its specs. They'll tell you what pcie slots it has. Also get the manual for it too.

2. No - you need a case that will take an eATX mobo to fit one.

3. The 2 fans I gather are just case fans? If cpus cooler fans, you'd need to replace the cpu coolers.

I can't even see 2 cpu's. Post the mobo spec link.

 

[Gam3r01]

The two copper plates have the Opteron CPUs under them (If I remember my server board setups)

 

[cortlillard]

1. Determine the make and model of motherboard and google for its specs. They'll tell you what pcie slots it has. Also get the manual for it too.

Here is the link for the manual, but it has no information on the PCIe Slot.
http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19121-01/sf.x2200m2/819-6597-12/819-6597-12.pdf

 

[cortlillard]

So, I still cant find anything about wht type of PCIe slot this is, but I downloaded CUPID PC Wizard to get more specs on the MoBo, and came up with this:

I dont know what I am looking at with these images, I know there is only one slot, but dont know which it is...

Thanks in advance! You all rock!

 

[Tom Tancredi]

First picture is telling you all you need to know. FYI PCI slots are NOT video slots, PCI bridge is for all Input/Output communications, so for example PCI Express to the Soundcard onboard, or to the Ethernet Ports (usually two on servers), etc. Each would be a seperate 'PCI Express' listed. Now as you scroll through there one is listed a x16 (Port 0 second from end) but looks like it shared the PCI-X bridge though (it also is Port 0). Servers normally have onboard video, so I would just settle for that, as servers are specialized in how they process data with multiple physical CPUs, all your applications for a 'Desktop' work 100% opposite to those CPUs and the design of the hardware. So honestly your gonna have alot of this computer sitting and twiddling it's thumbs, that even adding a video card to it, won't help make it a 'decent desktop'.

I would settle (since your not focused on gaming as you said) with just plugging into the onboard video if your going to use this as a 'desktop', which IMHO I think is silly even if it did cost $50 (you are so gonna pay for it on your electric bill each month! just warning you).

 

[cortlillard]

Thanks Tom!

First picture is telling you all you need to know. FYI PCI slots are NOT video slots, PCI bridge is for all Input/Output communications, so for example PCI Express to the Soundcard onboard, or to the Ethernet Ports (usually two on servers), etc. Each would be a seperate 'PCI Express' listed. Now as you scroll through there one is listed a x16 (Port 0 second from end) but looks like it shared the PCI-X bridge though (it also is Port 0). Servers normally have onboard video, so I would just settle for that, as servers are specialized in how they process data with multiple physical CPUs, all your applications for a 'Desktop' work 100% opposite to those CPUs and the design of the hardware. So honestly your gonna have alot of this computer sitting and twiddling it's thumbs, that even adding a video card to it, won't help make it a 'decent desktop'.

I thought that one might be it, but wasn't sure. I have a monitor plugged into the onboard video now, but its just VGA, and the resolution is pretty bad. I have also already experienced quite a bit of "video lag" and wouldn't really call it satisfactory even as just a desktop. The windows experience index puts the graphics at a 1.0 while the rest is up at 7.9, it seems like a shame to have such a wonderful machine to be hindered by this.

I am willing to get a decent video card for it, and that now I know that its a PCIe x16 version 1.0, I can start scoping out some stuff! That being said, does anyone have any good suggestions?

2 more tidbits: There is no onboard audio, so I think I am going to get one of those USB audio cards and put it inside of a case routed to a 3.5mm audio jack. Also, there happen to be four(4) ethernet ports on this beast.

I would settle (since your not focused on gaming as you said) with just plugging into the onboard video if your going to use this as a 'desktop', which IMHO I think is silly even if it did cost $50 (you are so gonna pay for it on your electric bill each month! just warning you).

I totally agree with you. Electricity is definitely a factor, but looking at CPU-Z the processors look like they are drawing about 75 watts each at idle. The stock power supply is only rated at 450 Watts, so even if I replace that with something that can handle the system and video card, I don't imagine it would be that different than a rig I could build myself. I might get a Kill-A-Watt and see exactly how much consumption I should expect from it if I get it up and running.

I currently don't even own a desktop, and am hobbling along with a old Toshiba laptop on its way out, and for $50 bucks, getting all of this stuff seemed like a great deal to me! I am currently a student, and may be needing something with a bit more computing power in the near future!

 

[cortlillard]

I did a bit more research, and came up with this link:

http://www.overclock.net/a/the-final-answer-to-the-controversial-pcie-x16-version-compatibility

It looks like all of the PCI Express versions are backwards compatible to version 1.1 with Nvidia cards without updating the BIOS, and that all video cards are backwards compatible to version 1.1 if you update the bios.

That being said, I believe that this mobo has version 1.0. does anyone have any suggestions on a video card?

Thanks!

 

[i7Baby]

Something as old as the mobo. Even a GT8800 was pcie 2.0. You might just have to stick with the on board vga. But then again - http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/302299-33-best-graphics-card says pcie 2.0 cards should work with pcie 1.0 slots